Steelers make change at return man, with Steven Sims handling duties this week
Two fumbles was too many for Mike Tomlin.
So, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach elected to make a change with his No. 1 return man. Steven Sims said Wednesday he will handle return duties during Sunday’s game at the Buffalo Bills. Sims replaces Gunner Olszewski in that role after Olszewski had a fumble and a muff during returns over the Steelers’ past three games.
“I’m going to get a shot this week at (returning),” Sims said after practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I am excited about that. Can’t wait to see what happens. It’s going to be a good weekend.
“It’s been a little while. Excited, though. I am ready.”
Sims has plenty of experience as an NFL returner, with 30 punt and 35 kickoff returns over two seasons with Washington. He also returned 26 kickoffs and 13 punts in college at Kansas. Sims regularly took reps in the punt return and kickoff return lines during this summer’s Steelers training camp.
Sims joined the Steelers at the end of the 2021 preseason and spent the entirety of the season on the practice squad other than a one-game call-up to the ganeday roster Oct. 14 against the Detroit Lions. Sims played five snaps during that 16-16 tie, all on offense.
His most recent live reps getting targeted or returning a punt during an NFL regular-season game came during the 2020 season finale for Washington.
“I just feel like I have been ready, just been working every day (in practice), taking my reps, practice squad, (scout-team) reps and just been killing them, doing what I can and just letting everything else play out how it’s supposed to,” Sims said. “And I got an opportunity this week to return.”
Sims also could have a small role in the offense. Although Olszewski never was thrown a pass over his four games with the Steelers, he did get two carries. Sims said he expects to run jet sweeps this week.
Sims had 61 catches for 575 yards and five touchdowns in addition to 10 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown in 28 games for Washington.
“Whatever coach asks me to do or tells me to do,” Sims said, “I am gonna do it.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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